Kukla's Korner Hockey

Entering his 20th season, the 38-year-old Shanahan appears very much his old self. That goal against the Islanders last weekend was vintage Shanahan.

First, he was open. Finding free ice in front of the goal is a skill of its own. When he took the pass, he had already looked at the goalie and knew where he was going to shoot. And the key, he said, was taking the shot before the goalie could adjust to him. The puck flew past the goalie’s glove hand and inside his left post.

“There’s two types of accuracy: there’s high and low, and left and right,” Shanahan said. “The left and right part of the accuracy was good, but the height was poor. It was kind of in the middle, and you either want it down low or up high. But you get away with that stuff if you get the puck away quickly.